Alumni Stories - Gabriel Mansour and Kristóf Gellén on filming Beltane

Gabriel Mansour and Kristóf Gellén, graduates of our MA Acting for Screen course talk with us about the making of horror film, Beltane, written and directed by Carys Watford. From their whirlwind one-day shoot to Beltane’s recent triumphs at prestigious film festivals, they share insights into their filming experiences, their training, and their future aspirations.

Your short film, Beltane, is a horror that takes inspiration from May Day celebrations. What drew you to this project, and which elements of the story resonated with you the most?

Gabriel: I was super intrigued by the story itself, its visuals, the dynamic and the flow of the two main characters, its genre and its huge potential to be developed into a feature film due to its commercially viable structure and premise (being a horror). The fact that I had only just watched Ari Aster’s Midsommar and Robert Eggers’s The Witch a few days prior to even knowing anything about Beltane, helped a lot in dialing up my excitement as well.  Plus, the idea of filming on location, outside London, added another layer to the authenticity of the story.

Kristóf: I am a huge fan of modern day horror films like Get Out, Midsommar, or Hereditary. Those films include an immense critical message towards our society and today‘s politics, whilst playing with structures, traditions, mythology and also folklore. So I saw exactly that in Beltane, this mystic surrounding, two lost friends trying to reconnect and the power of the unknown. I thought it was beautifully written by Carys as well so I was really hyped to do it.

Congratulations on Beltane having been accepted into multiple film festivals, including the Cinequest Film Festival, and winning Best Midnight Short at the Portland Film Festival! How has your experience of exhibiting work at festivals been, and how does it feel to be receiving such positive recognition for your work?

Gabriel: Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to personally attend Portland Film Festival but I know Carys did. Look, it’s great. We only had one day to shoot the entire short, plus we had to travel between multiple shooting locations. So, the validation we receive now is just another confirmation of how talented Carys and the whole team involved are. On a more personal level, it’s a great industry exposure for myself as well, having just finished my drama school.

Kristóf: Receiving awards is always a nice pat on the shoulder for the whole team. I think it always confirms the entirety of a film: from idea to final cut. Also that it‘s recognised in the States makes one proud.

As the lead actors in Beltane could you share some insights into your roles and how you prepared for them? What specific techniques or approaches did you employ to bring your characters to life?

Gabriel: In my case, I resonated with Daniel’s story from the first reading. He is a complex character with a lot of inner contradictions, plus the added challenge of having to shoot the whole film in one day made it even more exciting. In a way it was a blessing in disguise as I felt it focused everyone on doing their best within the limited time we had. When it comes to my personal approach of preparing the role, I used to have a tendency of over-thinking and over-complicating my research of the character which pushed me on the brink of confusion. Therefore, this time around I decided to focus on getting a clear understanding of his journey trajectory, mapping out the key shifts in his thinking process while focusing on bringing ease in his delivery and embrace the unexpected. And it worked. Everything I’ve learnt and focused on while training at Central got distilled in this role.

Kristóf: There was not much for me to prepare. Carys has written a beautiful character that just fits my acting style: open, vulnerable, funny and very young. I just had to dive deeper into the feeling of being a father. What does that huge amount of responsibility mean all of a sudden? How does my life change, how do I provide? I found that in Gerson‘s absolute lightness towards life, for me he is someone who explores and welcomes life with open arms. That‘s what also helps him being a father. Responsible curiosity.

Can you recount any particularly memorable moments or challenges faced during the filming process of Beltane?

Gabriel: At one point we were about an hour and a half behind schedule and we were just about to start filming their scene around the fire camp. One could argue that’s the meatiest, most complex scene in the film as that’s where we actually see their dynamic and inner triggers, while learning about their past and personal motivations. It’s the scene where both Gerson (Kristof’s character) and Daniel, my character, are finally letting their guard down exposing their souls, their hopes and fears, their sore core. It’s very rare to see on screen two men talking openly about what scares them, being tender, being open and vulnerable without trying to hide behind a veil of ego. Yet, when we got to shooting that scene we were tight on time. Plus, we had a couple of airplanes passing above us on the first couples of takes, so I recall the frustration started to build up in my mind as I feared I missed my chance on this film, on giving it my all. That’s when I decided to let go of what I had planned in my mind and fully put my faith in Carys, trusting she’ll move on only when she had exactly what she needed from our performances. And thanks to her brilliance it worked out really well.

Kristóf: I just wish - but you always do that on a set - to have a bit more time to enjoy the set. It was beautiful in that little village, the atmosphere was so enjoyable and I just really loved being there and creating this little world of Beltane. The whole shoot was particularly memorable for me. I loved every bit of being in that cottage, being with nice, professional filmmakers, realising this great idea of Carys.

What do you hope audiences take away from the film?

Gabriel: I hope the audience will be left intrigued and demand to see what happens next with Daniel and Gerson.

Kristóf: The hunger for more! I do the same, I want to know what happens to Daniel, what happens to Gerson? Will he be looking for his friend? What happens at the actual festival? What is this strange village‘s society? But I also want them to take away, that life is short. Meet your friends, enjoy every bit, love a lot!

Reflecting on your experience as students of Central’s MA Acting for Screen course, how do you feel the course has prepared you for your careers in the film industry? Are there any specific lessons or experiences from the course that have been particularly impactful?

Gabriel: had an incredible time doing the course. I loved it. Amanda, Armen and whole team of teachers have been outstanding. I remember Amanda saying at one point, early in the course, that if one desires to succeed in this business, they need to be 100% committed to the craft, their process and their whole journey as actors. It has become my mantra. The time during the course was incredibly invaluable in my understanding of the vast process I need to undertake when working on a character. It was a very intense year, with a lot of information being thrown at you, but also many chances of testing it and putting it into practice. I think the course not only makes you a way better actor, but it also allows you to dip your toes into other aspects of filmmaking, thus guiding you towards adding hyphens towards your career as a filmmaker. What I also loved about this course in comparison to other similar acting courses is that you end up with a lot of well-shot footage, whether it’s scenes shot on location, short films, monologues etc., specifically tailored for screen acting, that you could use even after graduating, thus putting you at an advantage, when joining the marketplace, to other drama school graduates.

Kristóf: I have trained as an actor in Vienna and then worked in a rep-theatre for 4 years, so I came with a certain experience. Being international, of course the accent classes were of major importance to me. But I was not prepared for how much I would learn acting wise. Not that I thought, I am good enough now, thank you, that‘s it. But it really opened my eyes to even new abilities of mine, like my enjoyment of comedic acting. Having casting training every week also is an immense help of keeping that muscle engaged. But the best preparation of course was our SIP project were we had to do our own short film. That taught me how “easy“ it is to do a short by yourself, that you can collect the people you need and just do your own work. Although it is not a filmmaking course, it gives you the tools to make yourself busy and get your voice heard.

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations and goals for the future in your acting careers? Are there any specific types of roles or projects you’re eager to pursue?

Gabriel: I just want to act professionally on a consistent basis. There are many directors, writers and actors I’d love to work with. If I were to let my imagination run wild, I’d love to be in a epic, political, psychological thriller written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Quentin Tarantino, produced by Adam McKay, acting opposite Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson, Emma Stone and Sandra Huller. That would be a dream come true.

Kristóf: As an actor I want tell stories of human relation. The beauty of them, the ugliness of them, the importance of them. I am a bit sick of superhero films and high budget blockbusters, everything explodes and is too complicated to follow. I love intimate filmmaking, intriguing characters and also the comedic moments of life - life is fun. So I would love to work with directors like Andrew Haigh or Edgar Wright. A bit far fetched but definitely Celine Song. Past Lives was the best thing I have seen in ages. But I am also eager to tell me own story. Our SIP film was written by me, so I discovered my love for it. There are a few ideas in the pipeline and a few projects finished and ready to film.

Lastly, what advice would you offer to aspiring actors and filmmakers considering a similar path in the industry?

Gabriel: I feel like I’m too early in my career as an actor and filmmaker to be able to give any piece of advice. What I can say, though, to anyone thinking about doing this course; just do it.

Kristóf: You will go through more phases where it‘s tougher than when it‘s easy and beautiful. That has to be said. But it is the most beautiful industry of all. The connections you make, the people you meet, the support you get from your friends and colleagues is amazing! You have to find ways to be fine with yourself: gym, good food, meditation, archery, crocheting, whatever floats your boat. And find yourself a mentor, someone more experienced to talk to. It is important to exchange. Lastly, the toughest one at times: believe in yourself and in the stories you want to tell. I struggle with that myself a lot. But it is a voice, it is loud, it will be heard. Work hard, relax hard and trust. Then you‘ll be fine!

Discover more about Beltane and keep up with the film’s updates on Instagram @beltaneshort. Additionally, you can follow Gabriel on Instagram using the handle @gabriel.mansour and Kristóf using the handle @gellenkristof.